Happy Birthday Poppa!

I got to see ALL my cousins and play with them. And we had a big birthday party for Poppa this weekend.

He said…

So we’ve started to settle into the notion that Dad and Mom aren’t going to be able to go on the trip. We don’t necessarily have to like it, but we’ve moved on to fulfilling Mom and Dad’s wish which is to enjoy the trip as much as we can, and to bring the memories back to them through the eyes and stories of the grandchildren. Which really is, the reason the for the trip in the first place, so we’ll make good on that.

Dad had an appointment this week to go over the results and what the going forward plan is. The result of that is he goes in for an angiogram on Thursday. If things go really well, they will perform an angioplasty, and possibly, they will insert a stent to the valve that is causing the problem. That will mean at least a day or two stay at the hospital, but also no more surgery. If they can’t get at the blockage then and there, it means surgery at a later date. So we’re really hoping they can take care of everything on Thursday.

Ultimately we just want Dad to get past Thursday safe and sound.

Friday was Dad’s birthday, but we had put off celebrating until Saturday when David, Linda and family could all make it down. We all gathered over at Mom and Dad’s which was really great given the news of Dad’s health. While the cousins all cavorted between the backyard and the the basement in much the same way their parents once did, we got to talk about the trip and generally just be together. It was perfect, and much needed.

The rest of my weekend was pretty much work which was fine because it allows me to be off on Wednesday and more importantly Thursday to be the taxi for Mom and Dad to and from the hospital. And then there’s only a couple of weekends more to work before we’re off on a boat.

We’ve been readying for the cruise, sorting out what we need to pack and where we need to be, getting everything in place. The last month of the planning has gone by in an absolute whirlwind. But the best part, as I anticipated is how Emelia is so beyond excited and how we know she is just going to be over the moon when we finally get there. That’s the part I am most excited about. I will make sure that I capture as much of that as I can so both Danielle and I, and Mom and Dad can relive that over and over…

Which brings me to… Only 18 more days till Disney!!!

she said…

As John already said our focus for much of this week shifted from trip planning to Doug’s health and what the next steps were. We are so grateful that we live in the city we live in, he is getting the absolute best care and it is not being fooled around with. From being told what the problem is to getting him for potential surgery to correct is less than 2 weeks. We are all hoping and praying that the results on Thursday are a dad who is recovering and on the mend. I have a feeling the next four days will be some of the longest in our lives.

I think back to when my dad was sick with cancer not even a year ago and I am so happy we live in the city we do, we can be close to the dads we love when they need us the most. This time it’s Doug’s turn and we can only hope that he recovers quickly. I know we will all be able to travel with more peace if the worst of us is behind of us.

But as per John’s parents wishes we are all to go on the trip, we are to enjoy every moment of it, we are to capture as many pictures, as many videos and as many memories to bring it back to them. So planning must go on.

For me this week it was talking to Helen to gather as much information as I could to take over as the trip’s organizer. We have a few things changed over and will deal with the rest once we know Doug’s health scare is behind us. All in all we have things well in hand and I know that we will have an incredible time even if we are going with heavy hearts.

The other side of the planning was the details like, well clothes to wear. As we have spoken about a fair bit over the last few weeks I have lost a large amount of weight over the last year. What that means is that clothes that were fitting and even tight last year are now falling off. I have gone from a size 14/16 to a size 8 and some rare size 6s. This has meant that my attempt to make do with the clothes in my closet from last summer will not happen.

Earlier in the week we had a fluke hot day, the temps for Thursday almost felt like early summer. So in the morning I started out in jeans and a t-shirt. By afternoon I was in capris and a tank top. As I went to go grab one pair of capris that even 2 months ago would stay on, they were loose but they might have been passible. That is no longer, I put them on and they fell to the ground. Needless to say that was not going to cut it for the trip.

Panic mode had struck, what was I going to wear? I had bought a few sundresses about a month ago but that was not really going to do it. I have a friend taking in some of my simple skirts and a dress hoping to stretch those. But with money tight saving for the trip a full wardrobe was not an option.

In comes my sweet friend and online food and fitness coach Leanne. She has done a full body transformation over the last year. She takes fitness training and food nutrition to a whole other level. But her transformation was to my benefit. My sad little call out on facebook asking for idea for economic clothing options came with an amazing little package arriving with Leanne yesterday. She has moved from the size I am in now to a size 4!!! So she had a few shorts, capris and jeans that no longer fit. I could not thank her enough. I so badly needed clothes and now I have enough to make my way through.

I did still need desperately some proper fitting shirts, so off Emelia and I went today to get some shirts again from Old Navy who thankfully had a buy one get one free t-shirt sale.

Sooooo now along with a couple skirts I bought to the seamstress yesterday I am almost set. I have enough clothes so I do not have to be a nudest at Disney! I may have lost a lot of weight but the world does not need to see a nudest me.

Needless to say this weekend was busy, lots to get done to get ready for the trip, a wonderful family dinner with John’s entire family and well all the weekend errands that need to be done solo with Emelia while John works many weekends.

That is the week that was, hoping that our post next week will be only the greatest of news and it will be of Doug’s recovery from the surgery and well on his way to being the active and amazing dad/Poppa he is.